Automatic hydraulic clutch



April 4, 1939. J R HYDE 2,153,372

AUTOMATIC HYDRAULIC CLUTCH Filed July 19, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR MMM/mmf:

April 4, 1939.

J. R. HYDE AUTOMATIC HYDRAULIC CLUTCH Filed July 19, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 570m .Hyg

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 4, 1939 AUTOMATIC HYDRAULIC CLUTCH .lohn R. Hyde, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor of one# tenth to Walter Bold, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application July 19, 1.938,v Serial No. 220,088

4 Claims.

This invention relates to .hydraulic clutches, the prime object being to produce a simple yet practical and eiiicient structure in a device of this character which is positive and dependable in action and has a variable speed pick-up.

i Another object is to produce a hydraulic clutch device which automatically adjusts itself to any drive shaft load and to wear on the brake' elements.

A further object isto produce a structure in a device of this character, which requires no inside adjustments and has a positive drive' in either direction.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages to be attained, as will later more fully appear the invention consists in the` novel general structure and in the parts and combinations and arrangements of parts thereofas hereinafter described and set forth with particularity in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings illustrating a practical adaptation of the invention and in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view`of the assembled device;

Figure 2 is a cross section; and,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view illustrating a detail of the by-pass ,valve and correlated con-f member II and opposite end walls I2 and I3 which are bolted marginally to the ring member II, as at I4, with leak-tight effect and' sufv flcient strength to withstand the fluid pressure builtup within the cylindrical body during the operation of the device as will later more fully appear.

As shown, the end wall I2 of the cylindrical body III has an outwardly oiset, central, cylindrical portion I5 in which is mounted a conventional ball bearing I6, the inner race member I1 of which supports a driving shaft I8, the opposite wall I3 of the cylindrical body I 0 having a similar outwardly offset central portion I9 in which another ball bearing 20 is provided for `the inner end portion 2I of said driving shaft I8. For purposes of a practical illustration of the invention the central offset portion I9 of the end wall I3 of said cylindrical body I0 is provided with an axial extension 22 constituting a driven shaft, while to prevent leakage rof the fluid vin the cylindrical body I6 about the driving shaft I8,

the central offset portion I5 of the wall I2 fj provided with asuitable packing gland 23.

Integral with the end wall I2 of the cylindrical body I0 is a relatively thick annular inner wall 24 which is spaced concentrically from the cylindrical wall II to provide an annular compression chamber 2,5 therebetween, the circular central space within the wall 24 constituting a cam clearance chamber 26 and also being a part of the main liquid reservoir of the device.

One end wall of the annular compression chamber is xed, it comprising the adjacent portion of the end wall I2 between the cylindrical wall I I and said annular inner wall 24, while the opposite end wall of said chamber is movable, in that it comprises an annular member 21 hereinafter described more particularly as a compression ring, said ring 2'I being keyed or splined, as at 28, so as to be movable longitudinally on the circumference of the wall 24 but being thereby held against independent rotative movement. In this connection, it is here noted that the ring 2l is fitted closely to the circumferential face of the annular wall 24 and also to the inner face of the cylindrical outer wall I I of the main body III so as to effectively retain the liquid under pressure within the annulr chamber 25, as will later more fully appear, yet permitting ready longitudinal movement ofthe ring under pres sure.

At diametrically opposite points the annular inner wall 24 is provided with opposed radial bores 29 which would ordinarily establish communication4 between the annular compression chamber 25 and the inner cam clearance chamber 26, but said bores have pistons 30 fitted therein which prevent such direct communication through said bores. At the outer ends of the bores 29, outwardly opening check valves 3| are provided, said valves,` as shown, being of a plate type having marginally recessed portions 32 slidably engaging guide studs 33 provided therefor on the adjacent circumferential portion of the Aannular wall 24. To limit the outward movement of the valve plates 3l, spaced stop bars or plates 34 areprovided on the outer ends of the studs 33.

In the retracted positions of the pistons 30, communication is established between the bores 29 and the main reservoir or chamber of the cylindrical body I0 through ports 35 provided therefor in the annular inner wall 24, said ports be- --pressionf ring 21 towards the outer wall I3 and` discharge check valves 3| are closed, and the liquid thus drawn into the bores 29 being forced out of the bores and into the annular compression chamber 25 upon the outward compression vstrokes of the pistons.

slidably fitted diametrically to the narrower dimension of the transversely elongated opening 38 of the yoke, while the inner ring of the bearing is fitted snugly to the circumference of the cam 39. The set of the cam 39 is such that one of the pistons 30 is at the extreme end of its compression stroke when the other piston is at the limit of its suction stroke, and it being obvious that said pistons are reciprocated in their respective bores 39 during rotation of the driving shaft I 8.

Located within the main reservoir of the cylindrical body III between the outer wall I3 and thel annular inner wall 24 and compression ring 21 on said annular wall is a circular clutch element 4I, the hub portion 42 of which is splined on the driving shaft I8, asy at 43, so as to rotate with the shaft but being permitted endwise movement thereon. The peripheral ring portion 44 of the clutch element 4I is connected to the hub -portion .42 by a suitable arrangement of spokes or a-web portion provided with afmultiplicity of openings therein, as at 45. As shown, the pe. ripheral ring portion 44 is provided in its opposite side faces with annular grooves 46 having inclined side walls for the reception of a counterpart annular gripping shoe 41 which is secured to the inner face of the outer wall I3 on the one side and on the other side a similar shoe 48 secured to the adjacent face of the compression ring 21. Said annular shoes 41 and 48 are respectively fastened to the wall I3 and the compression ring 21 by any suitable means and they may be obviously made of metal or any rubber or fibrous. material suitable for braking purposes and which will withstand the action of the oil or other liquid employed in the device.

With the clutch element 4I splined to rotate with the driving shaft I8 but permitted to move independently endwise on the shaft, and with the annularly grooved peripheral ring portion 44 interposed between the opposed brake shoes 41 and 48, the shaft I8 is free to continue rotation until suiilcient duid pressure is built up in the annular chamber 25 to forcibly move the comthereby effectively clamp the peripheral ring por- .tion 44 of the clutch element 4I between the opposed brake shoes 41 and 48, the endwise movement of the element 4I on the shaft I8 compensating amply for the accomplishment of this braking effect. v

, To provide for variably building up the fluid pressure in the annular chamber 25, by-pass ports!! are provided in the annular wall 24 diametrically opposite to each other and at right angles to the alignment of the bores 29 for establishing communication directly between the annular chamber 25 and the cam clearance chamber 26, the particular location of -said ports 49 and the relative diameters of the chamber 25 and yoke 31 which carries the pistons 30 being such that there is no blocking of the ports 49 except by valve elements 50 which now will be described.

As shown more clearly in Figure 3, the ports 49 are intersected by tapered bores which are formed in the annular wall portions 24 through the outer wall I 2 and the valves 50 which are correspondingly 'tapered are inserted externally into said intersecting bores and yieldably held in place by springs 5I which are sleeved about axial stem extensions 52 of the valves and projected through reduced cylindrical portions of the tapered bore, said spring elements being interposed between the adjacent end face of the annular inner wall 24 and a cross pin 59 on the stem portion 52 so as to constantly urge the valve 50 inwardly, yet permitting its rotation in said'tapered bore.

'I'he valve member 50 is provided witha trans.- verse port 54 which is of substantially the same diameter as the Vport 49 so that when the ports 49 and 54 are in full registration there is an unrestricted passageway therethrough but when the valve 50 isrotated to move its port 54 out of such full registration with the port 48 the passageway is variably restricted. By this provision, when the pistons 30 are reciprocated in the bores 28 and the ports 54 of the valves 50 are in full registration with the ports 49, a by-pass of sucient area between the compression chamber 25 and cam clearance chamber 26 is aiforded for the free passage of the liquid pumped into the chamber 25 back into the main reservoir. Thus the shaft I8 is free to continue rotating independently of the cylindrical body I0. However, when the valves 50 are rotated to reduce the area of the by-pass, uid pressure is accordingly built up in the chamber 25 causing the compression ring 21 to move towards the outer wall I3 and press the annular brake shoe 48 against the peripheral ring portion 44 of the clutch member 4I with braking effect to retard the rotative movement of the element 4I. Upon movement of the valves 50 to the position where the ports 49 are completely closed, the pressure in the annular chamber 25 becomes such that the combined resistance thereof to the further operation of the pistons'and the clamping of the peripheral ring portion 44 between the annular brake shoes 41 and 48 under the pressure of the ring member 21 effectively stops the rotation of the shaft I8 independently of the cylindrical body I0.

With the clutch elements thus engaged, it is obvious that the cylindrical body I0, if otherwise free to rotative movement, rotatesV with the driving shaft I8 and in turn rotates the driven shaft 22 attached to the body I0, as illustrated, or, obviously, the rotation of the body I0 may be imparted to any other driven element in connection with which it may be installed. However, if the cylindrical body I Il is supported or fastened against rotation, with the clutch elements engaged as above described, a substantial braking effect is produced and vthe driving shaft I8 is held against rotation. It is thus seen thatV the device may be utilized for transmitting rotary movement from one element to another or for stopping or retarding the movement of a rotary machine element such as a shaft or the like with equal facility.

Any suitable means for operating and concally or by manual manipulation, may be provided. As illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, .provision for this purpose may include a beveled gear 55 xed on the outer end of the valve member 50 in mesh with a similar gear 56 which is xed on a crank 51 journaled in a bearing bracket 58 located on the outer side of the end wall ,l2 of the rotatable body I0. The

crank 51 includes an arm 59 to the outer end of which is pivotally attached a link 60 which in turn is pivotally attached to a lug 6l on an actuating element 62, which latter is sleeved freely on the drive shaft I8 so as to be moved longitudinally of the shaft and whereby the shaft is rotatable independently of said member 62. By this arrangement the valve member 50 is rotated when the element 62 is moved. endwise in either direction on the shaft I8 thereby opening or closing the ports 49 either fully or partially, according to the distance the element 62 is moved and the direction of movement, it being understood that both of the valves 50 are similarly though I separately connected to the element 62 and thereby simultaneously operated.

Any suitable means (not shown) may be provided for the automatic or manual actuation of the element 62, said element 62 being inthe form of a. circular disc having a central opening and an annular circumferential groove 63 for the eooperative engagement of a conventional shifting element having the usual bifurcated portions with diametrically opposed lugs or rollers which may be disposed within the annular groove 63 where- Y.

by to effect the longitudinal movement of the element t2 on the shaft I8 and yet permit rotation of said element 62 independently of said shifting means. In this connectionit is noted that the shifting means may be manipulated manually by means of a hand lever or pedal device or automatically through the agency of a centrifugal governor, for example, and as such provision is quite obvious, it is deemed unnecessary to illustrate the same in detail herein. Suffice it to say that whether the valve members 50 are opened and closed by manual manipulation or automatically, the. fluid pressure may be built up in the annular compression chamber 25 with variable speed, at will, and it may be here also noted that the particular arrangement of the compression ring 27 and the annular brake elements 41 and 88 in correlation to the peripheral ring portion M of the clutch member 4l is such that the wear on the brake elements and contact faces of the clutch element is automatically taken up because of the relative endwise movement permitted the clutch member 4l and the compression ring 2l. There is a further advantage in the operation of the device ofthe present invention in that there are no necessary inside adjustments other than the valve members 50 and these adjustments are, as hereinabove described, effected externally of the device. So, too, the clutching action is positive and is equally effective when the driving shaft i8 is rotated in ether direction.

Obviously, the structure admits of considerable modification within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. The invention, therefore, is not limited to the specific construction and arrangement shown in the accompanying drawings.

What is claimed is:

1. A hydraulic clutch' device comprising, a hollow cylindrical body, a driving shaft entered axially and rotatable in said body, the bodyhaving an annular compression chamber adjacent one end thereof, said chamber beingv defined by the adjacent end wall portion and peripheral wall portion of thebody, together with an annular inner wall projecting from the adjacent end wall, the innerV end wall of said chamber being defined by a compression ring movable annularly with the cylindrical body between the circumference of the annular inner wall and inner face of the cylindrical outer wall but movable independently endwise relative to said body wall portions, a clutch eleme the opposite end wall and the annular inner wall thereof, said clutch member having a hub portion splined on sai'd drive shaft whereby the element is rotatable with said shaft but is movable endwise independently'of the shaft, said clutch located in the cylindrical body between element having a peripheral ring portion circumferentially adjacent the cylindrical'wall of said body, brake shoes interposed between the adjacent end wall of the body and said peripheral ring portion of the clutch element and between said peripheral portion and said compression ring, variable by-pass means between said annular compression chamber and the space Within said annular inner wall, means for pumping liquid from the main interior space of the cylindrical body into said compression chamber, and a cam element on said drive shaft for actuatingsaid pumping means.

2. A hydraulic clutch device comprising, a

hollow cylindrical body, a driving shaft entered.

axially and rotatable in said body, the body having anl annular compression chamber adjacent one end thereof, said chamber being defined by the adjacent end wall portion and peripheral wall portion of, the body', together with an annular inner wall projecting from the adjacent end wall, the inner end wall of said chamber being defined by a compression ring movable annularly with the cylindrical body between the circumference of the annular inner wall and inner face of the cylindrical outer wall but movable independently endwise relative to said body wall portions, a clutch element located in the cylindrical body between the opposite end wall and the anl nlar inner wall thereof, said clutch member for pumping liquid from the main interior space l of the cylindrical body into said compression chamber, a cam element on said drive shaft for actuating said pumping means, and external means for operating and controlling said by-pass means.

3. A hydraulic clutch device comprising, a hollow cylindrical body. a driving shaft entered axially and rotatable in said body, said body having an annular compression chamber adjacent its periphery and one end wall thereof, the substantial remainder of the body interior constituting a main reservoir, the inner end Wall of said compression chamber comprising a ring .member movable rotatably with the body but having independent endwise movement. variable by-pass means between said compression chamber and main reservoir, means for pumping liquid from the main reservoir to said annular compression chamber, said pumping means being actuated from the drive shaft, a clutch element located in the main reservoir of said cylindrical body, said clutch element having a hub portion mounted on the drive shaft to rotate therewith but having independent endwise movement thereon, a ring portion on said clutch element located circumferentially adjacent the cylindrical wall of said body and between the adjacent end wall of the body and said ring member constituting the movable end wall of said annular compression chamber, a brake shoe in terposed between said movable ring wall member and the ring portion of said clutch element, and

, second brake shoe opposed to said irst-menl .tioned brake shoe and interposed between said ring portion of the clutch element and the adjacent end wall of the cylindrical body.

4. A hydraulic clutch device comprising, a'

, hollow cylindrical body, said body having an annular internal wall extending from one outer end wall thereof whereby to provide an annular compression chamber about said annular wall and an inner cam clearance chamber within said annular wall, said clearance chamber communieating openly with the remainder of the interior of the cylindrical body and constituting jointly therewith a main reservoir, a compression ring constituting amovable -end wall of the annular compression chamber, said ring being movable I rotatably with the cylindrical body but movable endwise independently thereof between the cirl cumference of the annularinner wall and cylindrical outer wall of the body, a clutch element located in the main reservoir portion o1' the cylindrical body, said clutch element having-an annular peripheral portion interposed between the adjacent outer end wall of thecylindrical bodyand said compression ring, brake shoes interposed betweensaid end Wall and said clutch element and between the clutch element and said compression ring, pump means including diametrically opposed pistons Working in radial bores provided therefor in said annular inner Wall, outwardly opening check valves controlling communication between said bores and the annular compression chamber, said annular wall having ports provided with inwardly` opening valves for establishing communication between the main reservoir and said pump bores, a drive shaft entering said cylindrical body axially and rotatable therein, said shaft having a splined connection with said clutch element in the main reservoir whereby said clutch element is rotatable with the shaft but is movable independently longitudinally of the shaft, a cam fixed on said drive shaft in the clearance chamber within said annular inner wall, said cam having an operable connection with the pump pistons whereby to reciprocate the latter during rotation oi' the drive shaft, and regulatable by-pass means between said annular compression chamber and said inner clearance chamber within said annular inner wall.

JOHN R. HYDE. 

